Klarinet Archive - Posting 000813.txt from 2003/03

From: "Mary Keffer" <keffermm@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Frustration
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 11:06:11 -0500

I need help from some of the teachers out there. Suddenly I cannot play over
the break from c above the staff to d, e or f without getting the higher
partial. Specifically measure 142 of the first mvt. of the Mozart Concerto.
If I tongue each note it's fine. I just cannot seem to make that slur
without squeaking up to those partials. I am getting extremely frustrated!!
This seems to be a new problem for me. And incidently, I'm new to this
concerto. Believe it or not, I've never studied it before in all these
years. A year or so ago a dear old gentleman, who was once a wonderful
clarinet player, gave me an old and much used edition of the concerto edited
by Reginald Kell.

A little background... I'm an amateur enthusiast who's been playing since
5th grade. I'm 43 now. I play in a local community band, in a german
Oktoberfest band, and for odd little things at church or around the
community. I've been having some nagging problems with my playing, namely
squeaking, and have over the last few months begun to practice regularly in
an attempt to work through some of these problems. I switched to a double
lip embouchure and found that it helped A LOT! I realized that my
embouchure had indeed collapsed and I was biting. The double lip embouchure
is working out pretty well for me so far, but seems to have opened up
another set of variables that I'm not sure how to navigate. I believe my
problem still has something to do with my embouchure and biting, and
possibly breath support. I'm interested in learning more about using the
upper lip and about the position of the tongue. I play a Buffet R-13,
Vandoren B45, Rovner ligature, Gonzalez 2.75 reed.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Mary

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